TOUCH THE ROBE
I have certain people that I call my 3 Little Word Advisory Committee. Last week while I was working on NOTHING IN RETURN one of my go-to people mentioned the story of touching Jesus’s cloak. It reminded me of a song I sang several years ago, “Touch the Robe.”
When I remember back when I sang this song, I remember how emotional it was. To think what this woman had gone through.
Let’s go to the story.
This story is found in Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
Matthew 9:20-22 New International Version (NIV)
20 Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. 21 She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.”
22 Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.
Mark 5 New International Version (NIV)
21 When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. 22 Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. 23 He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” 24 So Jesus went with him.
A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.
30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”
31 “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ”
32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”
35 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?”
36 Overhearing[c] what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”
Luke 8 NIV
40 Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. 41 Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house 42 because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying.
As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. 43 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years,[c] but no one could heal her. 44 She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.
45 “Who touched me?” Jesus asked.
When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.”
46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.”
47 Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. 48 Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”
This woman knew that Jesus could heal because of what He had done. She knew He was her hope to be clean.
Mark 1:34 New International Version (NIV)
34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.
During biblical times If a woman was bleeding, she was unclean. There are strict rules in the bible about bleeding. Seven days was the time period that a woman had not to bleed to be clean. This bleeding set her apart, social and religious isolation. Bleeding was the barrier. It put a wall up between her and everyone. She was an untouchable. It was her cross. She was not touched by anyone because of her situation. (Leviticus 15)
So here she was bleeding for 12 years!!!! She was unclean, she was set apart, she was alienated, she felt unloved, she had a barrier, but she knew who could fix that barrier. Jesus. So, what did she do, she did the unthinkable, and she was determined to go see him. She knew that only he could heal. She had faith.
She traveled 30 miles, 30 miles by foot. 30 MILES!!! She got to the town where Jesus was, and there was many crowding in the streets. They were shoulder to shoulder bumping into one another and then she saw Him. There was Jesus. She knew all she had to do was touch his robe. Just one touch would heal her. She made her way through the crowd, and she touched the hem of his robe. She actually touched one of the tassels that hung from the four corners. Just one touch.
Jesus stopped and said, “Who has touched me?” WOW! Many people were in this crowded area. Many people were crowded in the street anyone could have touched Him, but He knew in his heart that someone with faith had touched his hem. He wasn’t going to let this woman get lost in the crowd. He was going to find her. He wanted her to know that He cared, He wanted a personal relationship, that it didn’t matter if she was unclean, that He could heal her. He said to her, “Your faith has healed you!”
What a story that we can all relate to. Have you at one time in your life felt unclean and untouchable? Have you felt that there was a barrier between you and healing?
What is your barrier? What is holding you back from complete healing? What is keeping you from touching Jesus’s hem?
Be like the woman go the extra mile with complete faith. Touch the hem know that you He will heal you.
Don’t let a barrier keep you from reaching out to Jesus in faith.
CHALLENGES OF THE WEEK:
- KEEP YOUR DAILY APPOINTMENT
- DIVE DEEP INTO THE WORD
- REACH OUT IN FAITH
- FILL YOUR CUP SO YOU CAN FILL OTHER CUPS
EXTRA READING:
https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/female-purity-niddah
https://www.todayschristianwoman.com/articles/2007/january/woman-who-touched-jesus.html
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